Chapter 10: When it is cold

A/N: Thank you, dear reviewer, for the critique. Admittedly, how I wrote Luffy's actions were what I genuinely thought Luffy would do. But how one perceives differs from how another perceives. Additionally, the way I wrote Luffy wasn't intentionally to highlight Adalina's intelligence or to bring Luffy down; what I attempted to convey was Adalina's perspective, biased due to her frustrations directed at Luffy. However, if you deem that I still did a poor job in writing Luffy's character, I'll try to be more careful. Perhaps it won't show in this chapter, but I'll try for the upcoming ones. Anyway, please enjoy!

"Are you kidding me?" the orange-haired woman, Nami, screeched, slamming her hands on the table. "Are you seriously intending to get us involved in a fight against a pirate crew that's way out of our league?"

"We fought against Buggy, so what's the issue?"

"Luffy, this is Captain Kuro—the man who is said to be the smartest and cruelest pirate in all of East Blue! Three years ago, he was reported to be captured and killed by the Marines, but since it turns out that he's been just laying low…" Nami trailed off, her anger morphing into worry.

"Relax, Nami," the swordsman, Zoro, said. "We can handle this."

"Yeah!" Luffy said cheerfully. "And if we succeed, then Ada will join us!"

Nami casted Adalina a look, to which Adalina responded with a curt nod.

While Luffy had ran off to find his crewmates, the boys had argued among themselves as to what they should do. One had insisted that they warn Kaya and the villagers right away. Another had countered that they needed to strategize before starting anything. The last kid had cried out about needing to pack up their things and run away.

Adalina had reeled them in and had told them that they ought to wait for Luffy to return with his friends before they acted on anything. She herself hadn't been too certain as to what to do.

If she went around disclosing Kuro's daybreak attack to everyone, would they believe her? For that matter, would Kaya? It was just as Kuro had said—everyone trusted the façade that he had put up for these past three years. Kaya had known him longer than she had known Adalina; there was without a doubt that the blonde would take Kuro's word over hers.

And while the villagers would surely see that her running around screaming about pirates as not a trivial matter, would they associate it as her finally going crazy?

Another issue she had was the fact that Kuro was almost always by Kaya's side. Warning the village would obviously tip the man off, so he might end up taking drastic measures. Adalina had pictured Kuro arresting Kaya against his chest, holding a gun to her face as he slipped away into the safety of his ship. With Kaya held as hostage, there was no way that the villagers would do anything.

As Adalina had mulled over how to work around these plausible scenarios, Luffy had come back with his crewmates in tow.

Currently, they were inside Adalina's house. Luffy was curiously browsing the wide selection of herbs hanging on her wall. Zoro was seated with his swords propped against his chest. Nami was pacing in small circles at the back of the kitchen.

The boys, however, had been too intimidated to enter a witch's dwelling, so they had opted to run off elsewhere. Where to, she had no idea.

"Are we really not going to tell anyone about what's going on?" Nami asked.

"We could try," Adalina allowed. "It would be for the best if the villagers evacuate from the premises, and Kuro's pirates wouldn't have the time to get to them. But Kuro might end up hurting Kaya beforehand."

"Then we just have to get to the girl first before we warn everyone else," Zoro said.

She chewed on her lower lip before nodding slowly. "If we could bypass Kuro. If he finds out that we know, then he could harm someone else to get an advantage over us."

After the words left her mouth, Adalina belatedly thought that such a situation probably didn't matter to these three. They were pirates, after all, despite how they were starting out. For that matter, Luffy wouldn't care about protecting anyone as long as he held up his end of the bargain—

"No one is going to get hurt as long as we're here," Luffy declared.

Adalina blinked, taken aback.

"This is your village, Ada. So, as your future captain, it's my duty to protect it alongside you!" He gave her a wide grin. "You can count on me!"

"And me." Zoro smirked. "I've been itching for a fight, especially now after hearing that our opponents are potentially strong fighters."

Nami sighed long-sufferingly. "I'll join too, I guess." She then perked up after adding, "But we better get some sort of compensation for risking our necks!"

"I…" Not knowing what to do, she lowered her head in gratitude. "I appreciate that. Thank you…"

"Shishishi! No need to thank us—we're just doing what's right!"

"You're a pirate—everything you do isn't supposed to be right," Nami said, echoing her thoughts exactly.

"If I'm doing wrong by doing what's right, then that means I'm doing right anyways because I'm doing it wrong." Luffy beamed at this.

"What kind of warped logic is that?"

"Anyway, do we have a definite plan as to what we should do?" Zoro asked, looking at Adalina. "You know the village better than we do and you heard all about Kuro's plans."

She nodded. "The obvious one would be to take Kaya away to safety. If she can't be reasoned with, then she must be taken away forcibly. There's an issue with facing Kuro, though."

"Just leave him to me," Zoro and Luffy said at the same time.

Before Adalina could speak, Nami said, "Luffy, no you're not. Kuro's known for using blades affixed on each finger. You rely on your punches, which would be a great disadvantage for you when facing him off."

"Ah, c'mon," Luffy said, pouting. "I can take him on!"

"You heard her, Captain." Zoro looked at him smugly.

"There's also Jango who might be somewhere within the village. Kuro mentioned that he could hypnotize," Adalina chimed in.

"You said that he was a guy with red glasses, right? We met him. I don't think he's anyone worth worrying about. We saw him perform his hypnosis on a couple kids, and he not only made them fall asleep but himself included," Nami recounted.

"He's an actual hypnotist? Seriously?" Luffy's eyes sparkled with interest. "That's so cool!"

"He's still someone crucial to Kuro's plans, so we have to keep him and Kaya far apart," Adalina insisted. "While those two are distracted, someone then needs to go tell the villagers."

"And what about the pirates at the docks?"

She frowned in thought. "If Kuro's incapacitated before he could signal his crew, then they would arrive at the village at dawn. But if not, then…" She frowned harder. "Okay, how about this? The rest of the shoreline is closed off by the cliffs, so the only way of getting to the village is going through the slope. You guys know what I'm talking about?"

"It's the one that you pointed to after we met you," Luffy said.

If Kuro's pirates weren't the dangerous ones, then she might as well have subjected her own village to its destruction by underestimating these pirates and showing them the way. They still had nothing much to prove aside from Luffy's stretching abilities, but Adalina learned to think twice before lowering her guard for anyone so easily.

"Right. I'll purchase barrels of oil from a grocer today. We'll pour the oil over the slope and make the ascent difficult to climb."

"That's pretty smart, Ada."

"I don't think it'll keep them for long, though, so someone needs to stay there and shoot them down if they get close to the top."

"That's where you come in, then," Nami finished for her. "First, we take care of the slope and have Ada stationed there. Then Zoro will go and take care of Kaya and Kuro, Luffy will take care of Jango, and I'll go warn the villagers. It's a solid plan." She smiled approvingly.

"But will the villagers even believe warnings coming from you?" Zoro pointed out.

"Huh? Why wouldn't they?" Luffy asked. "Nami can be trusted."

Nami grimaced and turned away.

"That's not what I meant. Nami is a stranger to them while Kuro's not. Sure, he's been deceiving them this whole time, but they don't know that."

"Then how about Ada and Nami switch positions?"

"Ada isn't really trusted here either, you know."

Instantly, Luffy's lips twisted into a scowl. "Well, that's stupid. I can tell that it's just a big fat lie, and I'm not even from here."

Zoro glanced at Adalina's way before speaking to Luffy, "We know it too, now."

What were they talking about?

"Besides," Zoro added, "what would Nami use to shoot down the pirates?"

"She could throw rocks."

Nami slapped her forehead.

"Oh, I know! Ada takes care of Jango, I punch down those pirates, and Nami warns the villagers!"

"That just goes back to my first point!"

"Then Nami takes care of Jango, Zoro can chuck rocks at the pirates, Ada warns the villagers, and I beat up Kuro!" Luffy threw his arms up in the air. "Yeah!"

"Were you listening to anything that we just said?" Zoro shouted.

Adalina stared at Luffy, flummoxed. Just how did he manage to convince Nami and Zoro into following him? The way he acted hardly showcased any qualities of what she imagined a captain to have. Did he persuade them by the sheer persistence that he had displayed earlier with her? Or perhaps he had been deliberate in his roundabout way of talking things that lead Nami and Zoro into ultimately agreeing to be a part of his crew? If that was the case, then Luffy was a deceptively smart character.

The realization that she had been duped in such a fashion made her eyes widen.

There was loud banging on the door, and then the sound of someone slamming the door open. Adalina jumped, startled by the abrupt noise, and was shocked to see that bursting through the entrance was none other than Gaston.

"Ada!" He quickly strode over to her and grabbed her by the shoulders, checking up on her from head to toe. "Oh goodness, are you alright?"

"Gaston! What—why—?"

"I heard all about the pirates planning to attack Syrup Village and I came running here!"

She briefly took stock of Gaston's disarrayed appearance, seeing that he indeed had rushed his way over. But how did he find out about the pirates? Her eyes drifted to the entrance where she saw the three boys nervously lingering by.

Suddenly, Gaston pulled away from Adalina to thrust a finger at Zoro and Nami's direction. "It's you two!" Gaston exclaimed. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Dr. Rikki?" Nami looked at him in surprise, which was perhaps the same expression that Adalina was mirroring as her eyes flickered between the two. How did they know each other? Had they met prior to gathering here?

"You guys couldn't be…" Gaston then gasped and backed away slowly, forcing Adalina to follow his movements. Adalina quickly sensed that he, in his misunderstanding, was trying to direct her out of the door while using himself as a shield. She ducked under his arm, but Gaston grabbed her upper arm to reel her back.

"Get behind me, Ada! It's not safe!"

"These aren't the bad pirates!" Adalina explained hurriedly. "They're not the ones that the boys told you about."

"They're not?"

The green shirt kid pushed past his friends to speak up. "No! These guys are… I don't know what kind of pirates they are, but their captain said that he'll help us take down Kuro!"

"Kuro? I…" Gaston pinched the bridge of his nose as he released a weary sigh. "Okay, clearly I need the full story here."

Once the doctor received the rundown version of what had happened, Gaston's lips thinned as the confusion in his eyes melted into skepticism. "Klahadore," he echoed. "Klahadore? Really?"

"I know that it's hard to accept, but it's true," Adalina insisted.

"Are you sure you didn't mishear? Or perhaps mistook that man for Klahadore?"

She gritted her teeth. "I know what I heard and saw. In fact, there are four other witnesses who can verify my claim."

"It's true!" the red beanie kid piped up. "We heard all about it!"

"I dunno this stuck-up butler all that well, but I'd know him if I see him again," Luffy affirmed.

The doctor appraised them hesitantly before averting his gaze. "I just… It sounds unbelievable." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Klahadore has been nothing but loyal to Lady Kaya. I can't imagine…"

As much as it frustrated Adalina that Gaston doubted her words, she understood the reason behind it. She, not long ago, had experienced the same disbelief, and she was one of the few who had personally witnessed Kuro unveiling his true colors.

"If what you're saying is true, then shouldn't we notify the Marines? Or tell everyone about this?" Gaston brought up.

"Oh, sure, if you wanna wait for a week for them to show up to see the carnage that's been leftover, then by all means," Zoro drawled, smirking. "Not that we'll actually wait for that to happen."

"What Zoro means to say," Nami began, shooting the swordsman a glare, "is that the Marines might not arrive in time. Besides, they probably won't believe that the real Captain Kuro is here instead of being buried six feet under."

"But if we do send a message that there's a pirate problem without mentioning Kuro…"

"Still won't change the fact that they won't get here in time. The attack is supposed to be by dawn."

Gaston began to wring his hands, disquieted by the information. Adalina had never seen him so distraught since Dr. Moors's death. A happy-go-lucky man who lived a tranquil provincial life wouldn't be able to know how to handle a terrifying situation like this. He must have felt as though he had been vaulted from a typical sunny day into hell.

Adalina herself was brimming with trepidation. However, she managed a conduct of affected cool, believing that her panicked state would bring nothing but more trouble.

Strangely, it helped her to think back of the time when she had first encountered wolves all those years ago; the adrenaline of fear and the primal desire to survive had pushed her into action. If she zeroed in on those emotions for tomorrow, if she treated Kuro's pirates as wolves, would she live to see another day?

Adalina watched Luffy, Zoro, and Nami under furrowed brows. In the duration of their explanation, Gaston had raised reservations about three people being able to hold out on their own against a whole crew, whatever tactics they intended to employ notwithstanding. The notorious Captain Kuro, in particular, would be one foe that not just anyone could defeat.

In response to that, Luffy and Zoro had confidently (arrogantly?) proclaimed that they were more than capable of fighting. Nami hadn't carried the same conviction in her own abilities, but the orange-haired woman had hinted about being able to take care of herself in dangerous circumstances. A survivor wasn't what the village needed, however; they needed protectors.

Protectors who seemed to consist of this motley group, herself included. But it wasn't as if there was any other choice. That much, Gaston seemed to understand despite his insistence in there being other solutions to their problem.

Well, perhaps there were…? If not the Marines, could the villagers take up arms and defend for themselves? There was no one here who knew how to take aim and kill, but there were able-bodied men and women who could do something… The question was: Would they?

If their children were in danger, mothers would take a stand. If their families were in danger, fathers would roll up their sleeves. If their homes were in danger, everyone would brandish their pitchforks and clubs in union. At least, that was what Adalina liked to envision that the people would do.

"Hey, don't worry so much," Luffy told Gaston. "You got us! And we can count on you to do something too, right?"

Gaston looked at him in bemusement. "Pardon?"

"You wanna help out. That's why you're still here."

"I—well, yes, this is my home, after all," he sputtered.

"Luffy, what are you doing?" Nami asked, frowning. "Don't just drag someone into this."

"But isn't he someone important in the village? If he told everyone about Kuro's pirates, then maybe they'll believe him."

"And they would," Adalina murmured. She turned towards Gaston, reaching over to grasp his hand. "Gaston, you could help evacuate the villagers!"

"Wh-what?"

"Now that we got that part settled, can we get a move on? I don't think we have a whole lot of time left if we wanna buy those barrels," Zoro said, jabbing a thumb in the direction of one of the windows. Indeed, the skies were turning into a hazy orange glow. Alarmed, Adalina glanced at the clock that hung next to the cabinets, and then scrambled to the door.

"It's almost closing time!" she gasped.

"What are you guys waiting for? Go help her carry them!" Nami yelled.